Patience
by ILikeCookiesLoads
Summary: Pitch didn't throw the staff down to Jack. The memories he had, Baby Tooth was there, he knows his a guardian and his not alone. But, without his staff, it takes a long time to get around. Twenty years later he finally gets back to Burgess, his home, he find the guardians still there after having failed to save the last light. Pitch won, but, Jack hasn't given up hope yet.
1. Chapter 1

It had been almost twenty years since Pitch had taken over. North, Tooth and Bunny stayed together, near Burgess where the last light had vanished before they even reached it.

They where living in the forest, near the lake Jack called home. They had no idea where Jack was, he had been gone since Bunny shouted at him after Easter. They had searched for him, knowing that he always returned to Burgess, but he was nowhere to be seen.

None of them had given up hope, not yet, but none of them knew what to do. It was miserable, sitting each night watching as the nightmares spread terror and sadness to children, not being able to do anything to defend them.

Meanwhile Jack was travelling, it's hard to travel when you can't communicate with anybody around you. Especially from a place like Antarctica all the way to Burgess. He had managed to get onto a boat back, he had travelled most of the way walking only taking advantage of things like boats when he really needed it.

He was finally, after twenty years of travelling, reaching his destination, he wasn't sure why he went back to Burgess or what he would do when he got there. But he would figure it out. All he wanted right now was to get home, to see the familiar town and the lake that he called home. He was sad knowing that all the kids he loved and played with would have now grown up after having a childhood filled with nightmares and fear. But he still wanted to get home.

Bunny was asleep when he picked up the familiar scent of the winter spirit, he twitched his ears his nose in the air, he couldn't believe it, chances where it was just a mistake. So he got up and went to investigate alone. He could come back in a second or simply just call the others if he was right.

His eyes widened when he saw the boy, he didn't have the familiar staff but he did have his hoodie and the old brown trousers on. And there was no mistaking that snowy white hair. Bunny laughed at the sight making the boy turns his head curiously, eyes narrowing when he saw the bunny.

"Hey guys! Come here!" he called to the others making Jack realize who the bunny was and stared wide eyes for a second.

"Bunny?"

"Yeah.. oh yeah, you ain't seen me like this before..." Bunny sighed, he didn't like his new form but twenty years was enough to get used to anything.

"No" Jack simply confirmed and knelt down to look at Bunny "what you doing here?"

"The last light was here... we didn't make it in time, we decided to stay because... we didn't have the strength to go anywhere else and we know this is sort of your home, so yeah..."

"My home...? You where waiting for me...?"

"Yeah, well... we where sort of worried, I didn't mean to let my anger out on you, we should have let you explain. Talking of which I'd like it if you came with me to Tooth and North so that you can, explain."

Jack hesitated then nodded "sure, I guess..."

"You guess?"

"Can't they come here? I just got back, I miss this lake."

Bunny looked at him then shrugged "sure, I'll get them, stay put do, if your not here when I get back I swear I will beat you up, fluffy bunny or not!"

Jack chuckled "sure thing Bunny."

Bunny disappeared into the bushes, Jack turned around as if to leave, Baby Tooth pulled his hair and chirped annoyed. Jack chuckled and picked her up placing her on a tree branch.

"Don't worry, I just need to check on something, chirp when you see them coming, I'll only be a second" he reassured and went over to the rocks he knelt down and seemed to just vanish.

Baby Tooth looked surprised then shook her head and sighed looking out for the guardians. They appeared a lot sooner then she or Jack had expected, they obviously hadn't been far at all. She chirped, but Jack didn't come.

"Come on, his here!" Bunny called then froze when he didn't spot Jack "Jack!" he shouted.

"You said he was here? I don't see him..." Tooth said.

"You sure your not just sleepy, Bunny?" North asked.

"I told him to stay put" said Bunny angrily.

"I'm here!" Jack called making the guardians jump. It came from under the snow, confusing them even more, then Jack jumped up "sorry, was... warm, snow is cold."

"There is something seriously wrong with you mate if your warm in this weather!"

"Bunny, I'm the embodiment of winter" Jack said simply grinning at the guardians.

North and Tooth where still shocked. Jack slid across the frozen lake gracefully and jumped in front of them bowing as if meeting with a king and queen "so, what I miss?"

"The last light went out, Pitch took over."

"Yeah, that much I figured out, twenty years I'd have to be pretty stupid to not realize."

"Now, Jack talk! We want to know what happened, from Easter to now."

Jack sighed "fine" he said sitting down, Baby Tooth spread her wrings and managed to glide down to Jack who reached out a hand to catch her and place her on his shoulder where she always sat now.

Tooth gasped "Baby Tooth?! But you didn't have her back in Easter!"

"No, I went and got her back" Jack said calmly making himself comfortable in the soft snow.

"But... how?"

Jack hesitated for a second then decided there was no point hiding anything "I made a trade with Pitch, Baby Tooth for my staff."

"But... don't you use that staff to use your powers?" North asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, never said I made a good trade, then again never expected him to break it..."

"He did what?!"

Jack moved his hand in a dismissing manner "can I start from zero rather then going questions after questions jumping back and forth?"

The Guardians sighed and sat down to listen. Jack, with Baby Tooth's help, explained what had happened on Easter, how he heard the familiar voice and followed it to Pitch's lair, he explained how he went to Antarctica and Pitch came. He explained how he saw his memories and all do he refused to say much about them he told them that he no longer doubted the guardians thing.

Then he explained how he had made his way back to Burgess. Climbing out of the cavern and all the walking and walking.

"I'm sorry" Tooth whispered "had we realized you where alone and with no way back we would have gone to find you..."

"Gone to find me? If you don't have enough energy to make it to the pole how do you expect to get to Antarctica? It's even further away!" Jack shouted then burst into laughter "what is it with adults and contradicting themselves?" he asked Baby Tooth.

Baby Tooth shrugged then chirped.

"You two must have grow a strong connection" Tooth said "twenty years... I'm so glad you had each other, had you been all alone for twenty years I-I.. I couldn't bear the fought."

"I would have been no more alone then I was during does three hundred years prior."

Tooth flinched at the fought "your right Jack... and I can't bear the fought of that either Jack."

"I'm used to being alone... not that I don't love the company" he said smiling and cuddling Baby Tooth who chirped happily.

"Jack, listen, I'm sorry" Bunny said, he let out a sigh.

"For Easter? It's fine, can't say it looked to good on my half."

"There is no excuse for what I did, Jack, but that isn't all I want to say sorry for, I knew you existed and I knew you where alone and unseen. I didn't move a paw to help you, and for that I am sorry. And if I can help it you wont be alone, not like that, ever again... no matter what the outcome."

Jack looked surprised, he rarely fought of his time alone and when he did he blamed it on the moon, he never fought about Bunny or the other spirits who lefts him alone.

"It's not big deal..." he said "...to be honest, I never fought about it that way before."

Bunny smiled "you don't antagonize people the way I do, but that doesn't change the facts."

"Thanks Bunny, I appreciate does words" he said then grinned "I'm guessing this means I'm not all problems now?"

"Your still a big problem mate, but I understand your so much more than just that now" he admitted.

Jack grinned then looked at all the guardians "so, what's the plan?"

"Plan?" Tooth asked.

"Don't tell me you have made no plan in twenty years, how have you not been beaten by him earlier?" he asked grinning and he stood up.

"Well you've had just as much time as us, what plan did you make."

"I have been trying to get home" he said looking down at bunny with a smirk "but, if you must know, I'm going to Pitch's base, am going to release the Baby Teeth, get my staff back or the bits of it and making as much of a mess as I possible can."

"Good to know you fought of something" Bunny said rolling his eyes "and how do you want to do that?"

"Sandy spent all night spreading his dreams, all do I doubt Pitch is as... devoted, I have no doubt that he must spend at least an hour or so each day out doing his job."

"And how do you plan to figure out what hour that is? And what if he senses you when you enter?"

"I don't, I'll just go in and hope I'm lucky as for sensing me... well at least I can say I tried!"

"Jack! You can't risk it!"

"What's the worst that can happen? He flies me back to Antarctica and dumps me in another whole?"

"He could lock you up! Like the Baby Teeth!"

"Lock me up? Ha! Nobody can keep Jack Frost locked up!"

"You haven't even got your staff!"

"Not yet" Jack grinned, he was not going to change his mind no matter what.

The guardians sighed, they had played it safe for twenty years, perhaps it was time to risk it. So they nodded "okay, but you ain't going alone."

"We're not all going."

"No, but your not going alone, we will organize ourselves and make a slightly more detailed plan."

"Hm... guess I can't argue to that."

"Then let us begin planing!" Shouted North excited about the idea of finally doing something.


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay... let me see if I got everything, Bunny will distract Pitch and keep him from returning to the base. Baby Tooth will be nearby, hiding so as to warn as the moment he is about to return. I am going to break in and do as I said before with North who will fight of any nightmares. And Tooth will wait just outside just in case?" Jack asked.

"Yep, you got it mate" Bunny replied.

"Sounds pretty simple, only flaw is, can Baby Tooth get to us before Pitch?"

Baby Tooth chirped as if offended.

"She thinks she can" Tooth said "my fairies are pretty fast!"

"When flying."

Tooth sighed, looking at her now fragile and still wrings.

"Sorry Tooth, but it is true, would it not be better if Baby Tooth caused the distraction while Bunny went to get us?"

Tooth was about to refuse when Baby Tooth gave out a determined chirp, she liked this idea.

"Sorry, Tooth" Jack said picking up Baby Tooth of his shoulder "but she will be okay, right Baby Tooth?" he asked giving her a grin.

Baby Tooth nodded and smiled back up at Jack.

Tooth sighed "well if she wants to and nobody else has any complaints."

Jack grinned and as the wind ruffled his hair he held up Baby Tooth "wind will look after her" he said, more to the wind then to Tooth.

"The wind...?" Tooth looked confused.

"Yeah, with winds help Baby Tooth may not be able to fly but she can stay air born and that will be enough to escape if needed."

Tooth doubted the wind would be much help but as she saw Jack's expressions she just nodded, the boy probably knew what he was talking about.

Jack was hidden close to the old bed. He was hidden behind a tree, outside of the shadows. North was waiting a little further away along with Tooth. Jack listened carefully, soon he heard footsteps but soon realize they where not Pitched but the nightmares.

"The smell of fear, it is strong in that lovely little town, Jack would be so proud" he heard Pitch say, riding on one of his nightmares.

Jack clenched his fists when hearing Pitch mention him. Better angry then scared do.

"Tell me, my darling nightmares... how are the guardians?" he asked.

The sound of neighing and hooves.

"Typical."

The sound of hooves sounded getting further away. Jack waited a bit longer before coming out "come on!" he called and without moving he slipped under the bed and though the whole. He took a few steps forwards and waited for his eyes to get used t the darkness before running forwards towards the cages.

Jack had already opened up two of them when North got in "Jack!" he called.

"Here!" Jack replied "I'm getting the fairies out."

The fairies chirped. Jack grinned opening up another cage.

North walked over and looked up at Jack. North could barely stand without the support of his swords yet Jack was jumping around cages, forcing them open and carrying fairies to safety.

"Jack... how many left?"

"Not much, five cages" he said jumping up and emptying another.

"You are... amazing."

Jack blinked confused as he emptied another "pardon?"

"You can do all this, without your powers even... every other child has lost hope and you... you seem the same as always!"

"Well... for me... having Baby Tooth, the last twenty years have been better then the three hundred before hand" Jack pointed out, emptying yet another cage.

"Which is bad, Jack... very bad."

Jack just shrugged "it's not like I ever felt lonely" he says emptying yet another "I just got used to it, the knowledge that there where other people like me was enough to keep me going."

"You are strong Jack... I will find you trophy when this finished!"

Jack laughed emptying the last cage "trophy?" he said carefully putting the fairies down on the floor "that will be a fun to carry around, wind will love you for sure."

North looked confused, this just made Jack laugh more "that's all the fairies... you should get them out, I will be right back."

"Where you going?"

"I want my staff back."

"Jack..."

"Just get the fairies out, I will catch up, don't worry about me" he said with a smile before running of deeper into the base. He followed his instinct trusting that he could find it.

Jack laughed when he spotted his staff. He ran as fast as he could then grabbed it holding it tightly in his hands, at first he was happy and began to run back then he stopped, he looked at it. Didn't Pitch break his staff? He should have been looking for two halved not this...

At closer inspection he noted that frost did not form around the staff. His eyes widened as black sand suddenly grabbed his hands he tried to throw the staff to the ground but it was too later. The sand clung to him climbing up his arms and towards his throat. He screamed but the sand covered his face, not letting him breath.

North turned at the sound of the short cut of scream, his eyes widened and taking in a deep breath he used all the energy he had to run towards the sound. His eyes widened when he spotted Jack, he stopped right in front of him.

Jack stared up at him with desperate eyes. North hesitated, would touching the sand cause it to simply spread to him? He tried to cut it away with his sword but it didn't work it just reformed. Jack's eyes filled with tears and North realized the kid couldn't breath.

"Pitch!" North shouted, he knew this would probably get them both caught, but better then both killed, obviously.

Pitch was trying to swat Baby Tooth away when he heard the shouting echoing though the shadows. His eyes widened, he looked at Baby Tooth for only a second before vanishing into the shadows. He reappeared just out of sight in his base, he stared down at the sigh for a second.

He watched for a few minutes as North shouted desperately before he let Jack breath "hello... long time no see" he said finally stepping into view, North looked up, standing in front of Jack defensively.


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you want Pitch?!" North asked.

"What do I want? Your the ones who broke into my home" Pitch pointed out as he began to circle them, his eyes on Jack who was gasping.

"So naïve, did you really think I would just leave the staff for you to get? I knew you would be back for it one day Jack... I simply did not expect you to have company..." he said glaring at North "it will surely make what I am about to say much more awkward."

"I-I..." Jack gasped and shook his head, he had been naïve, there was no denying it. He had been more weary when he found the staff on the lake and poked it with his toe.

"So have you thought about my offer Jack?"

"I'm never joining you Pi-" he was cut of by the tightening of the sand that lasted only a few second before he was allowed to breath again.

"Is that so? You know Jack, if I wanted I could place you back in that whole, wait another twenty years, perhaps by then you will have reconsidered."

Jack's eyes widened and filled with fear which made North even more defensive "you wont touch him" North said.

"You think you can stop me? North, you can barely hold your own weight let alone defend a child in battle, especially not one who's neck could be broken with the snap of my fingers" Pitch tightened the nightmare sand slightly forcing a yowl of pain from Jack to prove his point.

North's eyes widened as he looked at Jack "leave him be!" North shouted trying to lift his sword but just falling back down pathetically.

Pitch smirked and began circling them again "poor, poor, little guardians... such a shame there is no saviour for any of you... that is except Jack, it would be a pity to lose him."

"You won't use him as long as I am here!"

"That can easily be sorted" Pitch pointed out "would most certainly scare the child if I had to kill you to get to him."

Jack's eyes widened "Pitch... you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't? Is that a bet?"

"You had twenty years... if you wanted to... you would have already. Dead people don't feel fear."

Pitch grinned "smart kid."

Jack managed to stand trying to pull the nightmare sand, Pitch loosened it letting the kid stand.

"You are a fighter Jack, it has always impressed me. How a child who had never been taught even the basic of his power could fight with such effectiveness... but not perfection, Jack. For that you would need a teacher, someone who actually paid you some attention. Someone to hear you."

"I'm not interested, Pitch! I've said this before and I'll say it again, they'll fear me and I don't want that" Jack looked dead serious "by now you should know that."

Pitch glared "perhaps I do know, Jack. They don't have to fear you, I will scare them and you can cheer them up and calm them down in the morning. They can still believe in both of us, we can still be a team. When fear becomes constant it becomes bitter anyway."

Jack glared "I said no."

North grinned at Jack's annoyed tone, proud of him.

"So be it, North, you may leave."

"Not leaving without Jack" North said.

"Then... I'll kill you" Pitch said simply and shot nightmare sand at North throwing him to the floor. Jack gasped and ran to defend North but was stopped by the sudden tightening of the nightmare sand. Instead he fell to the floor hard, gasping for breath.

"Jack!" North shouted trying to stand.

"Just leave, get the fairies out and start collecting teeth or whatever! Just get out!" Jack shouted best he could while gasping for air.

"Listen to him, North, he knows better."

North looked at Jack, eyes wide, he knew there was no point in him dying there but to leave the kid in the hands of the nightmare king was too horrible a thing to do "Jack..."

"Please!"

"I'll be back for you, I promise" he said grabbing his sword and doing as he was told "if you hurt him Pitch, I will make you regret it, you will suffer ten times worse" North warned.

"I have no intention on harming him physically" Pitch said.

The 'physically' made North's grip on his sword tighten as he turned to look at the winter spirit once last time. The kid had calmed down seeing North leave and was concentrating on his breathing now. North told himself it would be okay before leaving with all the baby teeth.

Pitch waited until the lair was silent before loosening the grip of the sand letting Jack breath properly again. The boy took in a deep gasp in relief as he tried to get his breathing back to normal. Pitch just stood and stared at the young child knelt on the floor in front of him.

"You are strange spirit, Jack Frost."

Jack looked up, not saying a word he clenched his fists glaring at Pitch.

"I can't wait to work with you, Jack."

"It will never happen" Jack said "I will never join you."

"You know, I was serious before, about taking you back to Antarctica and leaving you there. You should really consider joining me, Jack."

"Why is that?"

"Because Jack... I offer you much more then the guardians do."

"Yeah, not really a good reason."

"Is that so? Jack, think about this, the guardians took interest in you only when they needed help to defeat me, before that you where nothing to them. They don't deserve your help!"

"You only wanted me to help you defeat the guardians!"

"No Jack, I still want you, even do I have no enemies, I want you Jack."

"Why?"

"I told you before... because you feel the same as me... think about it Jack" Pitch said and he knelt down in front of Jack placing a hand on his shoulder. Jack tried to pull away but the nightmare sand didn't let him.

"Stay away from me..." Jack hissed.

Pitch ignored him and pulled his face closer to Jack "I can offer you so much more then the guardians, Jack."

"I don't want any of it" Jack whispered his eyes staring straight into Pitch's gold ones.

"But Jack... you've always wanted it" Pitch said "all you've ever wanted Jack, to be touched to be heard... to be loved" Pitch whispered and suddenly kissed Jack making his eyes widen and he tried to pull away desperately.

The kiss didn't last long, he pushed Jack to the ground and the nightmare sand tightened around the child making him scream out in pain, soon nightmares surrounded the two. Pitch turned away "lock him up" he ordered walking away, angrier then he had been in twenty years.

The nightmares that grabbed Jack where rough and made the kid moan as he was thrown in a dark room. The kid cuddled in on himself and took deep breaths feeling more vulnerable then ever before. He remembered the first time he had come to the lair and the fear he had felt, he felt that fear again now, except this time it was worse.

Pitch walked though the lair, towards his room. He was angry, very angry. He felt feeling towards the child, but not does kind of feelings. He had hoped by kissing the kid he would begin to see straight, knock does strange feeling away or at least change them.

The kiss felt strange wrong not only that, it made him want to protect the child, a feeling that he refused to accept. He couldn't understand it, he had not had a family for a very long time, but the only time he wished for a family was when next to Seraphina.

Nobody was good enough for him, nobody could replace Seraphina, but then why did the kid feel so much like he could? Pitch fought it though, he knew the kids parents where mortal and that the moon had been the one to bring Jack back to life. All do the kid had seasonal abilities, he wasn't really a nature spirit. He only bought snow and ice.

But there was definitely something about the child, something more then what Pitch had originally seen in the child. He had too much power to have no believers. He was too happy to have been alone for three hundred years. He was too scared.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down and think of a plan. He hadn't though this through, he could have avoided this so easily, but he didn't. He let his body go limp, struggling was pointless a waist of valuable energy, he was sure he would escape. Every story has a happy ending, that is what Jack had found out from years of watching parents read stories tot here children.

Closing his eyes he continue to breath, even do he forced himself to think he was safe, it made no difference, his body trembled like a leaf, scared. He held back tears and forced himself not to whimper at the pain. The sand that held him to the floor was too tight, it hurt. Jack though of what Pitch had done, it was strange, not scary... but not nice. Jack didn't like it.

"What do you mean the kid got caught?!" Bunny demanded looking angry "you should've kept a better eye on him mate!"

North sighed "I know, I tried to get him out but... Pitch is stronger then us and the kid was in his grasp, it was too risky."

"So you just left him?!" Tooth demanded eyes wide fists clenched "he could be dead!"

"Pitch is bad but would not kill child... besides killing Jack would be hard, he is immortal!"

"Perhaps he is, North, but he also defenceless without his staff... we should have never listened to the kid! The plan was risky from the beginning!"

"But Bunny... we got the Baby Teeth! Tooth at least can work, perhaps not far without wrings but she can work... restore some belief! It is perfect!"

"If any kids put teeth under there pillows any more..." Tooth whispered.

"Of course they do! Just in case" Bunny reassured her trying to give her hope.

Tooth sighed "perhaps but... can you really just expect me to go of and collect teeth while who knows what is happening to Jack?"

"Tooth, we are more likely to be able to help Jack if we restore belief... and think about the kids, twenty years they have had to manage without us... that's too long!"

Tooth sighed "I know but... his been alone as well... without our help?"

Bunny looked away "and we will fix it, but North said he told us to collect teeth, we should listen to him" Bunny pointed out.

Tooth sighed her eyes filled with tears as she nodded "I know, sort of... okay troops! This is going to be a long night!" she shouted at her fairies "we have to collect as many teeth as possible, we will bring them back to the sleigh! Do the best you can, avoid nightmares!" and then they where of.

North and Bunny looked at each other and smiled. Tooth would do a good job and they knew they would have a bit more power soon, a bit more energy, a bit more of a chance to be able to rescue Jack.

Pitch entered the room where Jack was being kept, his footsteps echoed of the wall, Pitch could walk silently but he had no intentions too. Jack hearing opened his eyes to look up, Pitch was staring down at him with golden eyes.

Jack caught eye contact for a second before looking down again "go away" he whispered.

"Why?"

Jack kept his eyes closed "I want to be alone."

"No you, want to be with the guardians."

"And your not going to allow that... your keeping me from them" he whispered.

"Jack... I don't want to hurt you, I just want to-"

"To what? Pitch? You broke my staff and abandoned me, left me to die!"

"You where a winter spirit right in your element, you could not die!"

"What if I could? What if the staff was like my life line or something?"

"Then it would have not been so easy to snap."

Jack looked up at Pitch glaring, he expected Pitch to glare back but Pitch's eyes where not filled with anger nor evil entertainment. They where filled with curiosity, confusion, pity...

Jack closed his eyes once more struggling slightly "what?" he whispered "what do you want?" he clarified.

"I want to know more about you Jack... you draw my attention, you stick out... I feel... like I need to protect you."

Jack had not been expecting this, hesitantly, he looked up at Pitch, confused.

Pitch sighed "I know, it is strange but... you... are like me, I said it before, and all do I hate you for not agreeing to my offer. I can't just sit back and watch one suffer though the exact same fate as me. So I won't, all do the alternative may not be your first choice, it will have to do."

"I don't understand."

"Jack, the offer I made you at Antarctica is still on."

"No. I am not joining you."

Pitch nodded "I knew you would say that... but I am not worried, because I know, you will... eventually."

Jack struggled and shook his head "never! I'd rather die!"

"And how has that worked in the past?"

Jack grinned "quite well, actually."


	5. Chapter 5

A few weeks had passed, the guardians where making good progress. Tooth was fluttering around hyperly ordering her mini fairies around. North and Bunny where doing there best to destroy nightmares, all though they could not make dreams they were perfectly capable of destroying the nightmares before they reached the sleeping children.

"Okay... the sun is rising" Tooth sat down exhausted "my fairies still haven't the energy to travel as far as where it is night..."

"It is not your fault, do not worry... we have increased our strength greatly since you started collecting teeth again! Jack was right about his plan..."

"If only he were here..."

"He is okay, strong child Jack is..."

"I know... but still..."

"We just need to go on a little longer, and we will have the power to rescue him!"

Tooth nodded "I just hope his okay..."

"Morning, Jack" Pitch whispered from the shadows "I bough you breakfast."

"I'm not joining you" Jack snapped.

"But you must be hungry... you have not eaten in weeks!"

"And who's fault is that?!"

"Well if you joined me-"

"I'm not joining you!"

"What if I give you cookies?"

"Not even North would make that deal!"

"North hadn't been without food for several weeks."

Jack groaned "it's not like I ate much before this anyway."

"You didn't?" Pitch sounded worried as he approached Jack, food still in his hands. Jack shifted uncomfortably, Pitch placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and immediately noted how skinny Jack was "you're too skinny Jack, it is unhealthy."

Jack didn't reply, looking away from Pitch feeling a combination of anger, confusion and slight embarrassment. Pitch place the plate of food on Jack's knee, Jack groaned "I'm not joining you!"

"You don't have to, you can have it for free?"

"Hu?" Jack looked up, confused, slightly disbelieving.

"Think of it as a free example of the delicious food you'll be fed if you join me" Pitch said with a slight grin.

Jack couldn't help but grin back, he looked down at the food. He had an omelet, some scrambled egg and bacon. He grabbed the fold that lay barely balanced on the side of the plate and finished hid food up in record time.

"Nice?"

"Surprisingly, it was very nice actually" Jack admitted.

Pitch grinned further "I cooked it myself."

Jack looked surprised, eyebrows raised, he wasn't sure why it surprised him. He simply did not see Pitch as the cookie type "you cook?"

"It is easier than letting the nightmares and home made food is nicer."

Jack nodded in agreement.

"Would you like to see how I do it?"

Jack blinked "must I join you?"

"If you looked impressed the whole time you may have it for free as well."

Jack grinned again "deal!"

The next few hours Pitch spent cooking, Jack watching from the side happily. Pitch was uncertain if Jack was actually interested in what Pitch was doing or simply relieved to finally be out of the cell. Either way he didn't care as he got Jack to try the food asking him if it was ready, Jack almost always got it right.

Soon they where sitting down and eating lunch, Jack sat at the table facing Pitch. He ate slower this time actually enjoying the meal properly, he seemed to even enjoy Pitch's company as he talked about pranks he had made both in his human and spirit life.

Pitch smiled nodding every once in a while, rarely commenting yet still showing enough interesting to keep Jack happy. It was a strange situation but Pitch also appreciated the company, and it seemed to fulfil the strange protectiveness he'd been feeling towards Jack recently.

Jack was still talking for another hour after dinner, but he was running out of stuff to say. And Pitch began to pick up on fear, he looked at it and realized Jack was scared of going back to his cell now that they had finished. Pitch grinned slightly "Jack?"

Jack's fear increased "yes?"

"I need to go out to do something."

"Oh..."

"Would you like to come with me?"

Jack froze, shocked "pardon?"

"Keep me company?"

"I-I... go out?"

"It is nothing horribly cruel, I just need some fresh air, I like you do not like being inside for too long. And now that I can freely move around I plan to make the most of it... so will you be coming?"

Jack smiled and nodded excited, he was desperate to see the wind and the sky and the ground again. Pitch began to lead the way but stopped at the exit looking at Jack, hesitant all of a sudden, worried Jack would try to escape.

Jack looked up at him head tilted slightly, Pitch sighed, he couldn't tell Jack no now. But he would take precautions "Jack stand still."

"Why?" Jack took a step back.

Suddenly nightmare sand formed around his wrists and ankles, he gasped backing against the wall closing his eyes tightly as he waited for pain. When it didn't come he looked up to see Pitch watching entertained.

"It is not to hurt you, it is simply so that you don't run away."

Jack looked down at his wrists and nodded, standing up "sorry..."

"Come" Pitch led them outside, it was later then Jack had fought not quite night but later enough for there to be plenty of shade for Pitch. Jack followed Pitch though the forest, they soon began a conversation about the strangest of things.

But then the guardians appeared, Bunny and North had been chasing a nightmare when they spotted the nightmare king and Jack. They spotted the nightmare sand around Jack's wrists and ankles.

"What do you think he's doing?" North asked, angrily.

"He's probably trying to force Jack to do something for him" Bunny half said half growled.

"Well he's going to be disappointed!" North suddenly shouted attacking, quickly followed by Bunny.

Pitch's eyes widened and barely had time to dodged, for a second he stood there staring at the two attacked before calling forth his nightmares.

"North, Bunny!" Jack shouted and tried to run to them but the sand tightened suddenly, he let out a yowl of pain and collapsed to the floor, moaning.

North and Bunny where horrified, quickly distracted "Jack are you okay?"

Jack didn't reply as tears began to fall down his face. Bunny growled and with his boomerangs took out half the nightmares present "prepare yourself Pitch! You will pay for what you have done!" he shouted and attacked Pitch fiercely.

Pitch didn't have time to dodge and was thrown into a tree, he groaned as he attempted to grab Bunny by the throat. Bunny didn't let him and instead punched Pitch hard in the stomach. Not until now had Pitch noticed how much power the guardians had regained and he had lost.

North was kneeling besides Jack trying to help him though the pain, as Pitch breathed in Jack's fear he realized how tight he had made the sand and regret itched though him. He turned to look at Bunny before disappearing into the shadows, both his nightmares and the sand around Jack's wrists gone.

Bunny roared and punched the tree but quickly forgot as he heard North call for him. Soon he was by Jack's side, checking his wrists and ankles "one ankle broken, both wrists and other ankle cracked" he said "his in shock."

North pulled Jack close "why did Pitch leave?"

"Coward..."

"But he had Jack, he could have used that as advantage?"

"Maybe he didn't think, lets just get out of here before he comes back!"

They took Jack back to the sleigh lying him down, North held him close trying to comfort the child as Bunny bandaged his wrists and ankles checking for any other wounds. When he found none they relaxed and waited for Tooth to return.

Jack had fallen asleep, cuddled up to North who held him protectively "he is so fragile..."

Bunny raised an eyebrow "not sure if that is entirely true, mate."

"I mean... his bones are cracked right? So they could easily break."

"Oh yes, he is in that sense. You worried they'll break?"

North nodded.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, we just need be careful with him. That's all."

"Do you think his okay? I mean... who knows what Pitch did to him in the last two weeks... I bet he had nightmares every night!"

"He didn't seem too bad... maybe a bit scared but I think he'll be fine. Now that we have him back if we concentrate on retrieving the belief of the children we will just need to beat up Pitch and then we have won!"

North smiled "then all will be good again... except Sandy."

Bunny frowned "let us not think of that now."

North nodded cuddling Jack close "I hope Jack is okay."

"He will be North... he never lost hope, as long as he had hope he will be okay."

North nodded and smiled as he saw Jack smiling and was surprised when a tiny, weak, bit of golden sand formed above his head, trying it's best to form a picture.

"Sandy?" both North and bunny asked at once. Eyes wide.


End file.
